Difference between revisions of "Concerned Veterans for America"
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==Ties to the Koch Brothers== | ==Ties to the Koch Brothers== | ||
| + | [[File:A_Maze_of_Money.png|500px|thumb|right|The Koch network was one of the biggest political operations in 2012 and worked largely outside the campaign finance system, raising at least $407 million. ''Source: Robert Maguire with the Center for Responsive Politics.'']] | ||
CVA is one of the organizations identified by ''The Washington Post'' and the Center for Responsive Politics as part of "a coalition of allied conservative groups active in the 2012 elections that together raised at least $407 million, backed by a donor network organized by the industrialists Charles and David Koch."<ref name="koch players"/> From 2011-2012, CVA received almost $2 million from the [[TC4 Trust]] and an additional $32,000 from the [[Center to Protect Patient Rights]]; both groups played key roles in the Koch funding network for the 2012 election cycle. | CVA is one of the organizations identified by ''The Washington Post'' and the Center for Responsive Politics as part of "a coalition of allied conservative groups active in the 2012 elections that together raised at least $407 million, backed by a donor network organized by the industrialists Charles and David Koch."<ref name="koch players"/> From 2011-2012, CVA received almost $2 million from the [[TC4 Trust]] and an additional $32,000 from the [[Center to Protect Patient Rights]]; both groups played key roles in the Koch funding network for the 2012 election cycle. | ||
Revision as of 16:04, 18 November 2014
Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) is a 501(c)(4) non-profit which seems to be funded almost entirely by the Koch brothers donor network.[1] CVA advocates for reductions in federal spending and free market policies, focusing its campaigns on themes related to veterans.
The group's CEO, Pete Hegseth, was the former executive director of the pro-Iraq War Vets for Freedom[2] and as of June 2014 was finance chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota.[3] Hegseth appears to have attended at least one Koch network summit meeting.
An investigation by ProPublica found that Concerned Veterans for America submits its IRS filings under the name Vets for Economic Freedom Trust. Those documents list former Koch Industries managing director Wayne Gable as a trustee.[4]
| Koch Wiki |
|---|
Charles Koch is the right-wing billionaire owner of Koch Industries. As one of the richest people in the world, he is a key funder of the right-wing infrastructure, including the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and the State Policy Network (SPN). In SourceWatch, key articles on Charles Koch and his late brother David include: Koch Brothers, Americans for Prosperity, Stand Together Chamber of Commerce, Stand Together, Koch Family Foundations, Koch Universities, and I360. |
Contents
2014 Midterm Elections
Web Ad Targets Alan Grayson (D-FL) on Healthcare
On December 16, 2013, CVA released an ad titled "Government Health Care Equals Disaster" to run online for two weeks in Florida's 9th district, represented by Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson.[5] Conflating the VA healthcare system with the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), the ad highlights long wait times at VA hospitals, then shows a Vietnam veteran saying "Don't expect to be taken care of by Obamacare." The ad ends with the statement: "Tell Congressman Grayson to listen to our vets, government healthcare doesn't work."[6]
Ties to the Koch Brothers
CVA is one of the organizations identified by The Washington Post and the Center for Responsive Politics as part of "a coalition of allied conservative groups active in the 2012 elections that together raised at least $407 million, backed by a donor network organized by the industrialists Charles and David Koch."[1] From 2011-2012, CVA received almost $2 million from the TC4 Trust and an additional $32,000 from the Center to Protect Patient Rights; both groups played key roles in the Koch funding network for the 2012 election cycle.
An investigation into CVA by ProPublica revealed that one of CVA's trustees is Wayne Gable,[4] a former managing director of federal affairs at Koch Industries, president of the Charles G. Koch Foundation, and a board member of Freedom Partners. Gable has also been involved with the Koch network groups Citizens for a Sound Economy and Americans for Prosperity.
Activities
VA Accountability Project
CVA runs a project called VA Accountability, which advocates for the VA Management Accountability Act of 2014. Introduced in the House by Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL), the bill would give the VA secretary greater power to demote or fire high-ranking federal employees at the VA. The Civil Service Act normally protects such employees from being easily fired. The House passed the bill by a wide margin on May 21, 2014.[7] Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced a Senate version but no vote had been taken as of the beginning of June 2014.[8]
CVA president Pete Hegseth has connected his support for the VA reform to his opposition to single-payer healthcare, telling the Republican Seniors of Minnesota, "The Department of Veterans Affairs is probably the best preview anywhere of what government-run, top-down, single-payer health care looks like [...] No choice, no transparency of cost, lots of bureaucracy.”[3]
The VA Accountability project is intended to encourage "participants to call members of Congress to co-sponsor the VA Accountability and Management Act or to join a “strike team” to help put even more pressure on Congress to take action."[9]
"Freedom Summer Tour" 2014
In April 2014, CVA announced it would undertake a 10-city bus tour, which would include performances by the band Madison Rising and speakers "bringing a message of service and freedom; as well as ways for fellow veterans—and all Americans—to continue fighting for freedom and the American Dream.[10]
Positions
CVA's website describes as its main issues "runaway government spending," free market and pro-business policies, and the federal budget deficit and debt, which it describes as "the biggest threat to U.S. national security."[11]
According to its website, CVA plans to focus on the following legislation in 2014:
- "VA Reform" through the Dept. of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act of 2014 (S. 2013/H.R. 4031)
- "DoD Reform" through the Audit the Pentagon Act of 2013 (S. 1510/H.R. 3184)
- "Spending Reform" through federal and state-level balanced budget amendments
- "Military Voting Reform" through the Safeguarding Elections for our Nation’s Troops through Reforms and Improvements (SENTRI) Act of 2013 (S. 1728/H.R. 3576)
Funding
As a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, CVA is not required to disclose its donors. However, research by ProPublica found that the Koch-linked TC4 Trust gave $1,968,000 to CVA between mid-2011 and mid-2012.[12] This would appear to be almost all of the revenue CVA reported to the IRS for its 2011-2012 fiscal year.
Core Financials
2012[13]
For the period October 12, 2011-September 30, 2012
- Total Revenue: $1,969,994
- Total Expenses: $1,188,004
- Net Assets: $781,990
Personnel
Organizing Committee
As of June 2014:[14]
- Gary Berntsen, Air Force (ret.)
- Commander Eric Berryman, US Naval Reserve (ret.)
- Jessie Jane Duff, US Marine Corps (ret.)
- Captain Frank Brayton Harris, US Navy (ret.)
- General P. X. Kelley, US Marine Corps (ret.)
- Major General Robert Hollinsworth, US Marine Corps (ret.)
- Sergeant Major "Gene Overstreet, US Marine Corps (ret.)
- Beverly Perlson
- Former Captain Wade Zirkle, US Marine Corps (ret.)
- Captain Darin Selnick, US Air Force (ret.), Former Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs and Director, Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, under President George W. Bush
- Vice Admiral Robert J. Spane, US Navy (ret.)
Staff
CVA does not list most of its staff on its website. The following names were listed on tax filings and other CVA documents, as of June 2014:
- Pete Hegseth, CEO. Former executive director for Vets for Freedom.[2]
- Wayne Gable, Trustee[13]
- Joseph Gecan, Director of Operations[13]
- Langhorne C. Sias, Director of Operations[13]
- Bill Turenne, Director of Communications[15]
- Kathleen Volandt, North Carolina State Director[16]
- Emily Laird, media contact.[10] Laird appears also to have served as a Media Manager for Public Notice.[17]
Affiliated Organizations
According to Concerned Veterans for America's tax filings, which are under the name "Vets for Economic Freedom Trust," TOHE, LLC is a disregarded entity of the organization.[13]
Contact Information
Address:
1405 S. Fern St, #197
Arlington, VA 22202
Media contact: Emily Laird, (571) 302-0973[10]
References
- ↑ Jump up to: 1.0 1.1 Matea Gold, "The players in the Koch-backed $400 million political donor network," Washington Post, January 5, 2014. Accessed June 18, 2014.
- ↑ Jump up to: 2.0 2.1 Concerned Veterans for America, Staff, organizational website, accessed June 24, 2014.
- ↑ Jump up to: 3.0 3.1 Cyndy Brucato, "New GOP finance chair Pete Hegseth comes out swinging on VA management," Minnesota Post, June 4, 2014. Accessed June 24, 2014.
- ↑ Jump up to: 4.0 4.1 Kim Barker and Theodoric Meyer, "Who Controls the Kochs’ Political Network? ASMI, SLAH and TOHE," ProPublica, March 17, 2014. Accessed June 18, 2014.
- ↑ Concerned Veterans for America, "New Online Ad Targets Florida’s Ninth Congressional District," organization press release, December 16, 2013. Accessed June 24, 2014.
- ↑ Concerned Veterans for America, Government Health Care Equals Disaster, YouTube video. Accessed June 24, 2014.
- ↑ Ed O'Keefe, "What is the VA Accountability Act?," Washington Post, May 21, 2014. Accessed June 18, 2014.
- ↑ 113th Congress, S.2013 - Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act of 2014, draft legislation, February 11, 2014. Accessed June 18, 2014.
- ↑ Wesley Brown, "[http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/government/2014-02-25/concerned-veterans-america-starts-veterans-affairs-accountability-project Concerned Veterans for America starts Veterans Affairs accountability project]," Augusta Chronicle, February 24, 2014. Accessed June 18, 2014.
- ↑ Jump up to: 10.0 10.1 10.2 Concerned Veterans for America, "Concerned Veterans for America and Madison Rising Announce Defend Freedom Summer Tour 2014", organizational press release, April 21, 2014. Accessed June 18, 2014.
- ↑ Concerned Veterans for America, Issues, organizational website, accessed June 18, 2014.
- ↑ Al Shaw, Theodoric Meyer, and Kim Barker, "How Dark Money Flows Through the Koch Network," ProPublica, February 14, 2014. Accessed June 18, 2014.
- ↑ Jump up to: 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 Vets for Economics Freedom Trust, 2012 IRS 990, organizational tax filing, August 30, 2013. Accessed June 18, 2014.
- ↑ Concerned Veterans for America, Organizing Committee, organizational website, accessed June 18, 2014.
- ↑ Concerned Veterans for America, "CVA Names Bill Turenne as Director of Communications - See more at: http://www.concernedveteransforamerica.org/2014/06/16/cva-names-bill-turenne-director-communications/#sthash.qA7bSeab.dpuf," organizational press release, June 16, 2014. Accessed June 18, 2014.
- ↑ Concerned Veterans for America, "Concerned Veterans for America Names Kathleen Volandt as North Carolina State Director," organizational press release, June 9, 2014. Accessed June 18, 2014.
- ↑ LinkedIn, Emily Laird, personal profile, accessed June 17, 2014.
